But it said Kuala Lumpur's decision would not hinder the Swiss probe as it works with other countries on the case.

“We respect Malaysia's independent decision on this matter. However,
the Malaysian authorities remain free to use the information provided in
Switzerland's requests for assistance in their own investigations,”
Attorney General Michael Lauber said, confirming a report by the Financial Times (FT).

“What is certain is that our own criminal proceedings, which are about
maintaining the integrity of the Swiss financial system, will continue.
We will ask other jurisdictions for support ― for example Singapore,
with which we have worked very well, other European jurisdictions and
the US.”

The FT cited the Malaysian attorney-general's chambers as saying it was
unable to accede to Switzerland's requests because of a continuing
criminal investigation by Malaysian police in relation to matters
concerning 1MDB.

Malaysia was committed to co-operating with international partners and
there was “no issue of Malaysia blocking the Swiss criminal inquiry”, it
added, according to the FT.

A source familiar with the discussions told Reuters that while Swiss
officials publicly allude to expectations that Malaysia will cooperate,
privately the Malaysians have demanded that the Swiss drop their
investigation.

Malaysian officials were not immediately available to comment.

Lauber's office said in January it suspected misappropriations from
1MDB totalled roughly US$4 billion (RM17.6 billion) and alleged last
month that a Ponzi scheme may have been set up to conceal an alleged
US$800 million fraud.

Swiss federal prosecutors have opened criminal proceedings against two
Swiss private banks and four unidentified people over their links to
1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Founded by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who chaired
its advisory board, 1MDB is the subject of money-laundering
investigations in at least six countries including Switzerland,
Singapore and the United States.

Najib has denied any wrongdoing and said Malaysia will cooperate with the international investigations. ― Reuters

No comments:

DONATE TO SAVE OUR SARAWAK

BERUBAHLAH! 改变!

PKR will bring the change that Sarawak desperately needs. We will return the trees, the lands and the rivers to the people. Corruption will stop. Taib will continue to hand over the State's wealth and resources to Putrajaya and the preferred elite. PKR, led by Baru Bian in Sarawak, will not steal. Thirty years is enough! The time is now! BERUBAHLAH!